Supercars may be fast, but the cutting-edge of automotive
technology is happening in luxury sedans like the new 2019 Audi A8. The
fourth-generation of Audi’s most luxurious car, the new A8 introduces
Audi AI, a vision of smarter mobility including industry-first Level 3
assisted driving that, the automaker says, will eventually see all of
its cars intercommunicating.
From the outside, it’s a refined evolution of the previous
A8. The front is dominated by Audi’s Singleframe grille, wider and
bolder than before, while cues from the Audi prologue concept make
themselves known in the body lines and profile. It’s a big car, too: 17
feet long in regular A8 form, or with a 5.1-inch longer wheelbase in the
A8 L version, designed to cosset back-seat passengers.
Some of the geekier detailing we’ve seen Audi experiment with over the
past few years makes an appearance too. The flagship A8 gets HD Matrix
LED headlamps with Audi laser lighting, while the rear lights use OLED.
HD Matrix lights reappear on the inside, too, for focused reading lamps.
Indeed, the interior might be the place where the biggest design
improvements have been seen, with things like electrically-opening and
-closing shutters for the ventilation system, and an optional
“relaxation seat” for the A8 L that even has heated foot massage. Those
in the rear get an OLED remote to operate all the car’s infotainment
systems.
If you’re in the front, meanwhile, the familiar Audi controls are
notable for their absence. Gone is the rotary controller and touchpad,
replaced with a 10.1-inch touchscreen that merges into the high-gloss
black console. That’s used for the primary infotainment features, while a
second touchscreen lower down is dedicated to HVAC and text-input.
Haptic feedback for both touchscreens and the glass-look physical
buttons is included too.
